---
name: delete
status: documented
runtime: pp
source: src/runtime/pp/aggregate.rs
---
```{index} single: delete; Perl built-in (pp runtime)
```

# delete

## Synopsis

```perl
delete $hash{$key};
delete @hash{@keys};               # hash slice
delete $array[$index];
my $val = delete $hash{$key};       # returns deleted value
```

## Description

Removes the specified element(s) from a hash or array.

For hashes, removes the key-value pair and returns the deleted
value (or `undef` if the key did not exist). Read-only hashes
(such as `%!`) and Hash::Util-restricted hashes reject deletion
with an error. For arrays, sets the element to `undef` without
changing the array size; use `splice` to actually shrink.

Stash-backed hashes (accessed via `%{"Package::"}`) route the
deletion through the `PackageRegistry` so the symbol is removed
from the live stash, not just from the snapshot `Hv`.

## See also

exists, each, keys, splice